Blog - Page 91 of 216

The photo from which the book's title came. Read the book to find out where and when it was taken.

Review: From Cows to Concrete

An author must support her fellow wordsmiths, especially when a book takes 7 years to produce from concept to publication. Rachel Surls, of UC Cooperative Extensions' Master Gardener program, and Judith Gerber, a friend in the LA garden scene and author of Farming in Torrance and the South Bay, have painstakingly researched and documented the history of agriculture in Los Angeles in their new book, From Cows to Concrete: The Rise and Fall of Farming in Los Angeles. I had…

Post author:Christy
Post published:May 17, 2016
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:1 Comment

Using Fava Beans

To remove the casing, boil the beans for 3 minutes, then plunge them into an ice bath for another 3 minutes. The beans should pop out of the casing after that.

Post author:Christy
Post published:May 12, 2016
Post category:Blog
Post comments:0 Comments

Mittens the supercat protects the garden from vermin.

Wordless Wednesday: May Gardening

Keep planting until there's no more space! This Wordless Wednesday is brought to you by ambition and hope. Two great qualities to have when gardening in spring. It's time to plant, and enjoy your garden as it grows. Happy gardening!

Post author:Christy
Post published:May 11, 2016
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:0 Comments

The bees enjoyed the flowers of bolting kale and mustard greens.

Field Trip: Huntington Herb Garden

Spring is a beautiful time to visit botanical gardens, and Southern California does not disappoint. The Huntington Library and Gardens is off the charts in May with flora and fauna. We took a visit to the Huntington Herb Garden after tea last weekend to see what's growin' on. Perennial herbs including Rosemary and thyme form clear boundaries for this formal garden. Annual crops fill in the spaces in between. The end of the season can be as beautiful as the…

Post author:Christy
Post published:May 10, 2016
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:2 Comments

MonarchVR App

With an Android device and a virtual reality viewer, users can relax and explore an immersive, stereo virtual reality world.

Post author:Christy
Post published:May 5, 2016
Post category:Blog
Post comments:0 Comments

May flowers are here! Let's enjoy them.

May To-Dos

It's May, everyone! We love the garden in May. It really gets going right about now, which means there's no time to rest. If you haven't planted spring or summer crops yet, now is the time. If they're already in the ground, we're here to help you keep them happy. Here's your list of May To-dos: May To-Dos Deadhead spent flowers to keep them producing through spring. Hand-pollinate squash plants in the morning before flowers shrivel up. By 9 a.m.…

Post author:Christy
Post published:May 4, 2016
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:2 Comments

Our home grown red onion

Ask Gardenerd: How to Harvest and Store Red Onions

A timely question came in to Ask Gardenerd this week: "How do you harvest and store red onions? - Pete" Hi Pete, great question. It's that time of year, if you planted bulb onions in the fall, to harvest them for storage. If you're just planting them now, you'll harvest in late summer or fall. Red, yellow and white bulb onions all follow the same rules when it comes to harvesting and storing. Let's look at how to harvest them…

Post author:Christy
Post published:May 3, 2016
Post category:Blog Sage Advice
Post comments:10 Comments

Cherry Season

If you want to grow cherries, you’ll need two different trees that pollinate one another. Choose varieties appropriate for your hardiness zone and required chill hours.

Post author:Christy
Post published:April 28, 2016
Post category:Blog
Post comments:0 Comments

Tiny Fuji apples from our first harvest. Didn't thin - how else can you fit 7 apples in one hand?

Thinning Fruit on Apple Trees

Every gardener does it. We get so excited about impending fruit that we don't do what's best for the tree. We see all those tiny blossoms, then tiny orbs, and we stop using our rational brain in hopes of more, more, more. Thinning fruit from our fruit trees ensures larger fruit and a healthier tree. Young trees often become misshapen when they are laden down with more fruit than their branches can bear. So let's review techniques for thinning fruit…

Post author:Christy
Post published:April 27, 2016
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:4 Comments

The unit comes with several tip options. We like the brass sprayer (beware of lead, though).

New Toy: Compost Tea Sprayer

Last year after taking Dr. Elaine Ingham's Soil Food Web intensive, I ran out and purchased a piston-pump sprayer to take my compost tea to the next level. Compost tea is great for plant roots and soil health, but it also makes a great foliar feed (using said compost tea sprayer). Plants respond with a jump in growth, and a reduction in surface- or soil-born fungal infestations. Since tomato season is here, and blight is never far behind here in…

Post author:Christy
Post published:April 26, 2016
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:5 Comments

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